Stockholm-based group WeSports has acquired a stake in Thevea Brands Group and Tretorn and established a long-term partnership with the founders and management team. According to WeSports, there is an option to acquire 100 percent of the company if certain conditions are met.
Tretorn is one of the most renowned Scandinavian outdoor and sports brands, with a long tradition dating back to 1891. It has evolved from a 19th-century rubber manufacturer to an innovative sports and outdoor player. For over a century, people worldwide have been winning tennis matches with Tretorn shoes, balls and rackets and relying on the brand’s high-performance boots and rainwear.
Thevea Brands Group is a pioneer in the sports and outdoor industry that has grown to become one of the largest brand developers in the Nordics, with sales of just over SEK 500 million (€44.7m) in 2022. This investment represents a strategic alliance that will further strengthen Thevea’s position in the market and its capabilities in the future. In addition to Tretorn, Thevea’s brand portfolio also includes Racqet, Sarek, Fjällmark, Visent, Friluftsvaror, Alfonso Padel and Toalson, and the group represents Adidas in the tennis, padel and cycling categories. With a local sales team, offices and showrooms in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands and over 1,500 points of sale in its distribution network, it is one of the leading brand developers and distribution specialists in the sports and outdoor segment in the Nordic countries.
The investment underlines WeSports’ overarching strategy to strengthen its presence in the performance sports and outdoor sector, with a particular focus on the Nordics as a key region. Thevea’s notable position in both the sports brand and sports distribution segments plays an essential role in shaping WeSports’ own distribution strategy as well as tapping into WeSports’ leading consumer targets for Thevea’s extensive brand portfolio. On the other hand, the partnership with WeSports will enable Thevea to collaborate with specialists, get closer to consumers, conduct data-driven analysis, and ultimately increase the quality of product development, brand building, and service levels in the retail network.
